Convertible vehicle-body



entirely disengaged from each other. To relieve any side strain and toproperly center the clamping bolt 15, with reference to the slot 14:, Iprovideinturned lugs 23 on the upper edges of the plate 17, which engagethe recesses 24 in the angle plate 12 when the parts are in lookingengagement, The face of the tongue portion 9 extends at a slight angleto the plate 6, and as this tongue portion 9 is slipped through the slot10 of the plate 4, the lower end of the tongue engages the inner side ofthe plate e. The offset portion 8 of the plate 6 engages the upper edgeof the plate 1 and the pillar is drawn into lockedposition by theseparable locking means at the upper end thereof. The face of the tongue9 is brought into parallel relation withfthe plate 6, such movementbeing opposed by the resiliency ofthe tongue, and thepillar when lockedin place isv thus held under tension, thus holding all of the partsrigidly and securely, and preventing the pillar from working loose and"rattling.

To look the pillar in position I provide a clamping bolt 15 looselymounted in the plate 17 at the upper end of the demountable pillar 3,the clamping bolt15 being provided with the transverse pin 16 which isadapted to pass through slot 14 in the angle bracket 12,and as the wingnut-20 is turned to draw the parts together the clamping bolt '15 willturn with thewing nut, 20 until one-end of said pin 16 strikes the anglebracket, and the other end-of the pin 16 strikes the struck up t0ngue12thus preventing the separation of the parts of the locking .member, asclearly appears in' Fig. 4:. Further turning of the nut 20 on the bolt15 will draw the parts into closer engagement-and secure the pillar inplace under tension as-heretofore described. When it is desired toremove the pillar, the nut 20 may be loosened, the pin 16 turning withthe bolt 15 until it registers with the slot la in the angle bracket 12,thepin 16 may then be passed through the slot 1 1 and the pillar swungto about the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the tongueportion 9 may be withdrawn from the slot 10 and the 1 pillar entirelyremoved and stored wherever desired. 7 i I am aware that the embodimentof my invention here shown and described is susceptible of considerablevariation without from the spirit and scope thereof departing and,therefore, I desire to claim the same broadly as indicated-by theappended claims.

l have found,.howe'ver, that this particular embodiment is desirablefrom many standpoints and, therefore, I desire to claimthe samespecifically as well as broadly as will appear from the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what said pillar at top and bottomto said top and said body respectively comprising a slotted platesecured to said body, a plate secured to the lower end of said pillarand provided with a. tongue extending at a slight angle to the plane ofsaid plate, and an offset portion connecting said tongue with saidplate, said tongue being adapted to enter said slot and engage the innerface of said slotted plate, a bracket secured to said top and providedwith a slot, a plate secured to the upper end of said pillar, a clampingbolt loosely mounted in the up per end of said plate, a pin extendingtransversely from the inner end of said bolt and adapted to pass throughsaid slot and a nut threaded on the outer end of. said bolt and adaptedto draw said pillar to position and to hold it there under tension.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a body, a permanent top, aremovable pillar and meansfor detachably connecting said pillar at topand bottom to said top and said body respectively comprising a slottedplate secured to said body, a plate secured to the lower end of saidpillar and provided with a tongue extending-at a slight angle to theplane of'said plate, and an offset portion connecting said tonguewithsaid plate, said tongue 'beingshaped to enter said slot and engage theinner face of said slotted plate, a keeper carried by said top andlocking or clamping means carried by the upper end of said pillar anddetachably engaging said keeper .member to draw said pillar to positionand to hold it there 7 under tension.

clamping means carried by the upper end of said pillar and detachablyengaging said keeper member to draw said pillar to position and to holdit there under tension. 7

4:. In amotor vehicle, the. combination of a body, a permanent top, aremovable pillar and means for detachably connecting said pillar at topand bottom to said top and said body respectively comprising adetachable joint I, connection between the lower end of said pillar andsaid body, said connection normally supporting said illar slightly outofline with the plane 0 said top and yielding to permit the pillar to bedrawn into and held in position in said plane under tension, andseparable looking or clamping means connecting the upper end of saidpillar to said top and adapted to draw said pillar to position and tohold it there under tension.

5. In a vehicle, the combination with a body provided with a top, of aremovable pillar extending between said body and said top; a detachableresilient joint connection between said body and the lower end of saidpillar, normally supporting said pillar out of line with said body; anda separable locking device connecting the top of said pillar and saidtop, and operable to draw said pillar into line with sa1d body and holdit there against the resiliency of said detachable joint connection.

6. In a vehicle, the combination witha body provided with a top, of aremovable pillar extending between said body and said top, a detachabletongue and slot connection between said pillar and one of -said parts,said tongue being resilient and being put under tension when said pillaris moved into operative position, and a separable locking deviceconnecting the other end of said pillar with the other of said parts. Inwitness whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS J. KEIIOE.

